The Dumb Are Mostly Intrigued By The Drum

So we've made it clear into September (OMG, Halloween is right around the corner) and this year has been one of the best as far as the quality of films released so far. And we haven't even started Oscar season which will undoubtedly bring us some more good stuff. So to preempt the barrage of films surging this way, here are my top 5 films released so far this year:

5. Wall-E

I was expecting that this film was gonna be good but I didn't expect what it ended up being: A silent film with so much heart that it leaves you with a good feeling when you leave the theater. You know that age old movie quote "A feel good movie"? Wall-E is the manifestation of that very quote. Pixar has had a track record that rivals any and this one has to rank up there as one of the very best films they've ever done.

4. Iron Man

3. The Dark Knight

Some of you might be shocked that this isn't #1 on my list and I'm right there with you. It's really hard to describe what a "perfect film" is but this one came so close to living up to that title. There were a few kinks in there that kind of bothered me over all but overall The Dark Knight rocked. We'll see what happens with this film come Oscar season as I'd be surprised if Heath Ledger doesn't get some kind of nomination here.

2. The Wackness

I doubt that this film will make it onto most people's top list (especially here in Fresno since the film never opened up here; according to this the film is going to open in Visalia on Oct. 15th) but I was fortunate to see this awesome film and it touched a brother's heart. From the script to the music, it was an awesome experience and know that nostalgia played a big factor in The Wackness' position on my list. 1994 was a tremendous year in music and life in general for me so this flick really took me back. Awesome stuff.

1. The Fall

Like I've said in the past, storytelling is king in my book. And to see this story come to life through a little girl's imagination just exploded my head. Tarsem's surreal visuals really did a wonderful job of projecting this world in the film. Sure the script might not have been perfect but the acting (especially from Catinca Untaru, who deserves at least a nomination for her role of the young girl Alexandria) packaged along with the sheer awesomeness of the music, visuals & the creativity really made this the most enjoyable film I've seen this year. The film was just released on DVD & Blu Ray so I suggest you pick it up and check it out. Or at least throw it on your Netflix Queue.

And that's the list so far. We still have some heavyweights coming between now & January so who knows how this list will look like when I do my Top 10 of the year then. So let me know what you guys think. Did I miss anything? Let me know what your Top 5 films of 2008 are so far.

Storytelling is a dying art form. We're all used to seeing fully fleshed out, CG universes and in doing so, we let our imaginations take the back seat for most of the ride. Sure, we're stimulated by what creatives have come up with but it's only a ping to our underused creativity and because of this most people decide to let others create and entertain rather than having something emerge from the depths of one's own mind. So what does that have to do with this film? Well, at it's most basic, this film is about the ability for one person's verbal oratory to manifest itself as an entirely different life form than what was originally intended and the effects that in which said story can affect the person taking it in. Film making is the next step in evolution for passing along stories but the film does service by showing the two vastly different and yet familiar mediums. I suggest you remember back in the days when your parents or siblings or whoever used to tell you stories and the images that jumped into your head as the words flowed. Remember that practice and take those with you when you go watch this film, which is one of my favorite films of the year so far and I'm so glad this film was made and that we got it here in Fresno not to long after it's initial release date.

The Fall - 4 Stars (out of 5)

It's Good Friday and I can almost taste that first cup of coffee since I gave it up for Lent this year. (so close....so close). And what better way to celebrate than by some new trailers!Standard Operating Procedure
From director Errol Morris (Fog Of War) comes this documentary on the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. Towards the end of the trailer, one of the guys describes the whole experience as "surreal" and it seems as if that's what the director was trying to do with this film. As you watch the trailer, you can see some really interesting shots (such as the one of the dog up there) that really help drive that point home. Visually, it seems to buck the trend of what a documentary-style film should look like. And change is always good. And I'm sure the touchy subject matter is gonna definitely turn even more heads. Check out the full trailer here.


The Fall
You remember The Cell starring pre-nutty Jeneifer Lopez and creepy Vince Vaughn? It was a stunning film to look at but not much else. Well director Indian director Tarsem (if I make it big, I'm going to go by "Roque" only and become a single name director, too) is back to bring us this little gem. The idea sounds freakin awesome and looks like a sure bet but another "wait until you see it" cause this might just be a case of style over substance again. But the story, this is the type of shit I want to see succeed and the type of movies that we need to see more of: pure storytelling. The type of experience you'd get from listening from another point of view and build your own world in your head. And it seems like that's something that Tarsem tries to do. Anyways, check out the trailer embedded here or go download it over at IGN here. Also, visit the Web Site for the film for all types of goodies here. Man, gotta love that "Figlio Perduto", though. Bastard stole my peice of music!